Diana (23 page)

Vinny's mouth dropped open. He stopped dead in his tracks in front of his cousin.

Don stared at his hands. “What is this shit? How are you doing that?"

"You! You're the killer? Diana's your fucking cousin."

"Turn on the lights!” Commander Paul Fontella said.

"You're under arrest for the murders of Barbara Agular, Lee Perkins, and the attempted murder of Diana Pellino,” Jerry Montoff said, as he and another patrol officer handcuffed Don O'Rourke.

"Holy shit. Is this true? You're the killer?” the chief asked.

"This is bullshit,” Don denied, wide eyed and obviously filled of anger.

"He wasn't scheduled to work tonight, yet he showed up at the fire scene,” the chief said, looking at the firemen's login sheet.

"Get forensics to take his car. Call the judge Diana spoke to and get a warrant for here and one for Don's apartment."

Vinny stared at his cousin in shock and disgust. “How could you do this? What the hell happened to you?"

"There's nothing wrong with me. I gave my life to this job. My brother gave his life for this job, and look where it got him? A fucking parade and a plaque in my mother's china closet. These fucking losers get a free trip through life and have more rights than any of us. They deserve to die, burn all of them."

Vinny shook his head in disgust. The others just stared at Don O'Rourke. “Get him out of here. Get him out of my face."

Jerry and the other officers took Don away.

"I can't believe it,” the commander said.

"Neither can I. How am I going to tell my mother that Don is the killer and that he's responsible for Diana's condition?"

"I'll take care of this stuff here. You go and be with your family. I'll head that way as soon as the arson team and forensics takes care of everything,” Commander Fontella said.

"You go too, Paul. You've been through enough. We can handle things from here. Go be with Diana and her family. When all this is over, I'm gonna personally take Detective Pellino out to lunch,” Damian Toby said with a smile, then patted Vinny on the back.

"Great work. Your sister was smart to confide in you."

"Let's go. I'll drive,” Vinny told the commander. They headed to the hospital.

The sound of the several machines working to maintain Diana's breathing sent chills through Luke's body. The family had been in to visit her, and finally it was his chance to see her.

Her face was covered with small cuts and scrapes, along with tubes and other artificial breathing apparatuses. An IV tube ran from her wrist to a bag of fluid in a pouch on a hook near the side of her bed.

She didn't look good at all. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

He had finally met a woman he couldn't get out of his system. A woman he thought about constantly, could commit himself to, and she was dying. There wasn't anything he could do to change that.

He gently took her hand, caressed the soft, silky skin, and couldn't help the images that entered his mind.

He thought about the crazy stories he'd heard about comas, and how the patients could hear things even though they couldn't respond.

Diana wasn't in a coma. She was unconscious, fighting against an organ-killing, staph infection and she needed all the extra help she could get.

He gently brushed his hand against her cheek, shocked at the icy coldness.

"I can't lose you, Pellino. Don't give up, doll. Don't give up.” The tears stung his eyes.

The door opened.

Luke wiped his eyes and turned toward the doorway. Vinny stood there, wearing the same horrified expression Luke assumed he'd wore as he first entered the room.

"Oh, man.” Vinny covered his mouth, then took one more step closer.

Luke placed Diana's hand gently back down on the bed and leaned in closer to her face.

"I'll be back, doll. I love you.” He kissed her cheek and a tear fell from his eye, landing beside her head on the pillow.

Vinny stopped Luke from leaving. “She loves you, too. She was right about you, right about everything."

He wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. “What did you have to take care of for her?"

"We got the killer."

"Who was it?"

"Don O'Rourke."

Luke didn't know what to say.

"I know, I know. I'll fill you in on the details later."

"I'll leave you two alone."

Vinny sat beside his sister's bed.

"Look at you, sis.” He eyed all the special medical equipment and her injuries.

"You were in over your head, big time, and you knew it, yet you went for it anyway.” He sighed, taking her hand.

"I wanted to let you know that your plan worked. Your crazy, off-the-wall, CSI-fucking plan actually worked.” He laughed a little, then shook his head as the tears stung his eyes.

"The bad news is, he's one of us. Don, our cousin, lost his mind. But I don't want you to focus on that. I want you to get better.” He glanced back at the empty doorway.

"You actually found a man good enough and willing enough to put up with your attitude and all your faults. I'm just kidding, sis. He loves you. I love you. We need you back."

"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to check her vitals.” A nurse entered the room.

Vinny stood up, giving the nurse room to check Diana.

"How is she doing?"

"Not much of a change,” the nurse told him, as she checked the IV drip, and then Diana's blood pressure.

She glanced back over her shoulder at Vinny. He caught her eye and she smiled. “Your sister is very strong. She's a fighter, I can tell."

Vinny smirked as he looked back toward the bed and his little sister.

"She's tough all right. Can be a real pain in the ass sometimes."

"I'm sure it's not easy being a cop's daughter."

"Diana can handle it. It's that extra strength that inspires her commitment to the job. She's got a great reputation."

The nurse touched his arm. “Maybe that extra strength will help her pull through."

"Thanks."

The nurse exited the room.

Luke's eyelids were heavy. He had dozed off in one of the hospital chairs, just like the others. He awoke to the sound of voices whispering and movement near the critical care unit.

He stood up when he saw Diana's mom crying.

He hurried over just as the doctor began speaking. “We've taken her off the machines. She's breathing on her own. The fever is gone. The aggressive antibiotic treatment we gave her stopped the infection. She's coming in and out of consciousness, which could last a few days, but it is quite common considering everything she has gone through. She keeps asking us if a Luke is all right. Do you know who this is?"

Everyone turned toward him.

"She needs her rest, but she's not being very cooperative right now."

"Go see her, Luke,” Vinny said. The rest of the family smiled at him. He couldn't help but wonder if Vinny had told them all that Luke was in love with their Diana.

He followed the doctor toward the door with anticipation.

A nurse exited Diana's room just as Luke arrived. She didn't have all the tubes and machines around her anymore. Instead, she lay there peacefully with her eyes closed.

He walked closer. He gently touched her cheek and was grateful for the warmth that emitted from her skin.

Her eyes fluttered open. “Luke, is that you?"

"It's me, doll. I hear you're giving everyone a bit of that special Pellino attitude you're known for.” He smiled and the tears filled his eyes.

"I wanted to be sure you were safe."

"I'm safe, doll, and you need your rest."

Diana closed her eyes. “Stay here, Luke. Hold my hand."

"Rest, doll. I'll stay as long as the doctor allows me to."

Diana fell back to sleep.

Jerry, Paul, Brian, Vinny, and Luke stood outside of the waiting room.

They were discussing the events of the case and Diana's ‘out of the box’ detective work.

"The way things went down, we were all suspects,” Jerry said

Paul Fontella looked at Jerry.

"Why were you acting so strange, Jerry? People were questioning your lack of enthusiasm for the job and your attitude,” Paul asked.

The others looked at him as if wanting to know the same thing.

Jerry looked down at his shoes and placed his hands in his pockets, appearing uncomfortable and contemplating his response to the question. The others gave him a moment.

"I was a complete asshole. Leslie Spencer had me by the balls. I couldn't see that she was using me. That she was trying to turn me against Diana and doing the right thing."

"What the fuck does Leslie Spencer have to do with this?” Brian asked, sounding confused.

"I guess I was kind of to blame for that. My outburst at the family gathering started some gossip,” Luke said.

"No. It was my fault. I should've told that woman where to go instead of trying to be diplomatic because of her father,” Paul Fontella said.

"Diana warned me and I didn't listen.” Jerry shook his head and rubbed his chin.

"Oh, Jerry, don't beat yourself up. My sister is pulling through, you're all off the hook in regards to being charged for murder, and Leslie Spencer will get what's coming to her,” Vinny said.

They all looked at him wondering what he was talking about.

"My sister Diana taped a conversation between Leslie Spencer and Vince Porter, stating that they would use all their resources to frame Luke for the murders and arsons."

"What? I mean, I know the guy was pleased as punch while he stood in my kitchen just waiting for me to get buried alive, but why?"

"The guy was jealous of you, son. You have always done the right thing and are well respected,” Paul said.

"Diana told me about the emails to Luke and about the therapy tapes being released. It was Vince Porter who got his hands on them and since he and Leslie Spencer were doing the ‘down and dirty’ ... sorry, Jerry,” Vince paused and looked at Jerry, “he figured Leslie was using you to get to the commander. And he was using Leslie to convince you of Luke's guilt, since you are partners with the lead investigator, my sister."

"What the fuck?” Brian said.

"Were they working with Don?” Luke asked.

"How did Diana find this information out?” Paul asked.

"My sister said she stumbled across this during the investigation and at first she thought that they were working with the killer. Vince sent the documents to Don and Brian's ladder company, Luke's old stomping ground, in an effort to frame Luke. Meanwhile, Vince and Leslie had no idea, just like the rest of us, that Don was the killer. They gave Don ammunition, and he used it to make Luke appear like he lost his mind and was the serial arsonist. With all those incriminating comments and phrases, everyone would assume Luke was guilty."

"But not your sister, not Diana,” Paul said.

"Diana stumbled onto this somehow, and because of Vince and Leslie's selfish, despicable acts, they're going to have a hell of a time convincing a judge and jury that they weren't working with Don.” Vinny smirked.

"Diana is amazing,” Luke confessed in awe.

Everyone around them agreed.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Diana and Luke held hands as they walked along the sandy beach on the Hawaiian Island of Honolulu. The warm sun caressed their skin. The tropical air blew between them. He paused a moment to pull her into an embrace.

"I love the way that flower looks tucked behind your ear, and the way you hair is blowing in the wind. The way your tanned skin sparkles in the Hawaiian sun, like some fantasy goddess."

Diana smiled, looked at the ocean, then back at Luke. Barefoot in the sand, her head barely reached his shoulders.

"You know, the moment I met you the color of your eyes reminded me of the ocean. I can't believe I'm here. I finally made it to paradise."

He bent down and kissed her lips, then released them. “I can't believe I talked you into leaving the job for a few weeks."

"It wasn't all your doing, Fontella."

"Hey, don't start with that ‘Fontella’ stuff. It will be your name before you know it."

Diana smiled wider. She couldn't help but blush. “You seem certain about that, Fontella, considering that I have to say yes to marrying you."

The sun began to set over the deep-blue ocean. A gentle tropical breeze blew against her dress, the material whipping lightly against her knees.

Hawaiian music played in the distance, by the nearby resort. They were completely alone on the beach. It was as if the sunset, this sunset, was meant for them alone.

Luke reached into his pocket, then bent down on one knee.

Diana covered her mouth in surprise.

"Diana Pellino, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me and become Mrs. Diana Fontella?"

She smirked. “Make it Mrs. Detective Diana Pellino-Fontella and you have a deal, Fire Marshal."

He placed the ring on her finger. “We'll talk about it, Pellino."

She hugged him as he lifted her into his arms and held her close. They sealed the deal with a kiss.

"I love you, too, Luke, and I'm just kidding. The name is negotiable."

"We'll see, doll. We'll see."

[Back to Table of Contents]